Chapter II
Autonomous Human Beings
It means to stand-alone independently. So everyone has the right and power of determining the direction of his own actions. He/she must be able to become the master of oneself.
Talking about the human
being is not that easy and simple, because human being is unique. The
uniqueness is expressed as human nature. It is difficult to understand and to be
understood as a whole but deep with in man thare are a lot of spiritual power
that motivate a person to work independently and to be developed.
Independent autonomous
is a capacity to determine his/her will, and to decide his/her own actions in
the achievement of his will. God is already gave the intellect that makes human
being know what to do and why to do something. With the capability that they
have, man is able to distinguish between good and bad and make decisions based
on conscience and able to be critical of a variety toward life decision.
A. Conscience
Conscience
is a moral consciousness (kesadaran) that grows in human heart. Narrow
conscience can be understood as an application (penerapan) of moral
consciousness in concrete situations, that evaluate the bad or the good action
of man. Conscience appears as good and honest judges, although they could be
mistaken. Inner voice or conscience is a
power or special ability to distinguish good deeds or bad deeds, as well as to
measure the action was based on the intellectual capacity. Conscience is the
result of our deepest personal dialogue with God when we face and respond to
the situations of everyday life - today.
St. Paul tells us that
within us there are two laws, namely the Law of God and the law of sin. Both
laws were contradictory(bertentangan). God's law leads to goodness, while the
law of sin leads to crime. St. Paul realized that there is always a struggle
between good and evil in human heart (cf., Rom 7: 13-26). While in his letter
to the Galatians 5: 17 St. Paul says that we should give ourselves led by the
Spirit. We must try to win our conscience and our tendency that misleading(menyesatkan).
We must be sensitive to listen to the invitation and the grace of God.
Church through the
Second Vatican Council, especially in Gaudium et Spes Art. 16, said, "It
is not uncommon, that conscience is wrong because of our ignorance. With the
help of God's Spirit we are able to win the powerful of our conscience.
The struggle of Conscience
In Everyday Experience
Human life is
very different from God's creation, such as animals or plants. There was a time
in which men should undergo a struggle when we try to perform an action,
especially when we have to make a decision ex. whether their actions are possible or not,
whether it's done right or wrong, whether such action would harm others or not.
That ability doesn;t possessed by other God's creation, because their actions
be directed by instinct. The ability to struggle before and after, it was due to human have a
conscience, or inner voice or conscience that given by God ".
The struggle of Conscience
The teachings of the
Church and the Scripture about Conscience
The Teachings of the Scripture: Romans 8:31-38. 9:1; Romans 13:1-7
The Church's teaching of Vatican II document
Gaudium et Spes Art 16
"In the depths of his/her conscience, man
discovers the laws, that comes from God and must be obeyed. Conscience always
call us to love and carry out what is good and avoid what is evil. Because in
our hearts we discover the law that written by God.
Conscience is a human center
which is very sacred; in that place we human being stay alone with God, with the
message of God echoed in our heart. With the fidelity to conscience, the
Christians are join toghether with another Christian, searching for the truth
and that truth will help us to solve many moral issues, which arise both in
individual lives and in the life of the society. "
The conscience itself
can be understood generally and closely.
Broad sense: In the widest/broad
sense means the awareness of moral conscience that grow and bloom in human
heart.
Narrow sense: Conscience
is a moral consciousness in concrete situations as experienced by the Boy in
the earlier story. Conscience evaluate a human action is it right or wrong,
good or bad. Conscience appears as good and honest judges, although they could
be mistaken. Conscience is the voice of God, if against conscience means
against God. To be faithful to God's will we need to be united with the Holy
Spirit and rely on his strength.
Work of conscience can
be viewed from various aspects:
Aspect of time
1.
The conscience can play a role before an
action is made. Naturally, the conscience will tell if it's good deeds and prohibit
if it's bad deeds.
2.
The conscience can play a role at the
time when the action is performed. He will continue to tell if the action is
good and forbid if it is bad or evil deeds.
3.
The conscience can play a role after an
action is made. The conscience will "commend" if the action is good
and conscience will make us nervous or regret if the action is bad or evil.
Aspect
of right and wrong
1.
True Conscience if our conscience matches(cocok)with
the objective norms. For example: helping people who are experiencing disaster.
2.
Wrong Conscience if our conscience does
not match with the objective norms.
Surely
or not(segi pasti tidaknya)
1.
Conscience is sure if morally(secara
moral)our conscience is not mistaken.
2.
Hesitant conscience, means there are
still doubts.
Following are the
causes of our dull(tumpul) conscience:
1.
The person concerned is ignore his
conscience.
2.
People who always hesitant or confused.
3.
The influence of education within the
family or other environment.
4.
The Influence of mass media.
How the conscience
works:
·
Before acting, he/she must know thata
there are good and bad. Indeed, this moral consciousness has been held by every
adult.
·
In the moments before acting, he/she act
as a judge who told us to do good and forbid / avoid what is evil.
·
After the action is completed, our
conscience will state whether our actions were proper or improper. If we do it
right, he/she will feel calm, but when wrong then he will give penalties, which
make us feel guilty and uneasy.
Through a clean
conscience, everyone is called to work together to solve the problems in
society, so that the problems in the community should be solved first of all
through dialogue, which is based on conscience, because conscience is the voice
of God. Do not directly approached using religions or law. Example: when to
catch the person who stole a banana just a few seeds, shall be punished
according to law. But it can be if approached using conscience, it would appear
that the thief was forgiven. Another example: when there are young couples of
different religions want to marry, according to state law prohibited marriage,
but when obey conscience maybe people will think why love should be limited by
the rules?
How to develop a
conscience:
·
Someone who always act according to his/her
conscience, the conscience will be more bright.
·
Someone who always follow the promptings
of conscience, confidence will be healthy and strong. They will be trusted by
other people, because they have a pure heart and loving God. "Blessed are
the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5: 8).
·
By reading: Scripture, Church Document,
and other books that can provide values.
·
By asking people who have knowledge /
experience and trustworthy
·
Participate in spiritual activities,
such recollections, retreats, etc.
·
Correct yourself or self-introspection
·
Maintaining the purity of heart by releasing
the emotions and as well as the self-sacrificing, which appears in three ways:
1. Straight
purpose straight or recta intention(maksud yang lurus) it is consistent with what
was planned.
2. Setting
emotion or ordinario affectum(pengaturan emosi): it does not determine the
decision emotionally.
3. Purification
of the heart or purification cordis(pemurnian hati): no personal interest or
specific intentions behind the decision.
It can be trained to examination
of conscience such as to reflect our words and actions the whole day, praying
before doing the activities.
Conscience as the guidelines
to make the decision.
Conscience is the place
where God whispering what we should do and what we should not do. So, obey your
conscience is obey God alone. Obedience to conscience is necessary to be
trained from small things. Many people know that lying is not good but a lot of
people have the custom to lie. If the habit is not stop from the beginning,
then these habits will carry over a lifetime.
Read the following story:
"The Store of Conscience" page 39
St. Paul, when he was
arrested and imprisoned in public proudly said: "Brothers, till this day I
still live with a clear conscience before God." (Acts 23: 1) more he said:
"Therefore I always try to live with a clear conscience before God and
man". (Acts 24:16) Think, what custom that
we leave so that the voice of your heart remains pure. Say it in front
of God, and ask the strength so that we will be able to abandon the bad habit.
B. Be Critical and
Responsible Against Mass Media Influence
Media communication of
today is growth very fast. As a result, the information that goes into everyday
life is not persisting(tdk bisa dibendung). The problem is, there are good informations
and there are also bad informations. In general, the teenagers are tempted to
receive the media presence. They just swallow what is provided and does not
digest. In connection with that teens need guidance so that they can be
critical in choosing the media and is able to process them to improve their
quality of life. We are required to be critical with what ever the information we get.
Being critical does not
mean totally rejected the media, but we try to clean it and is able to account
for what we choose and we believe. The critical attitude supposes maturity of
thought, capable of considering the good-bad thing, selective and able to make
a priority in determining the life choices. Thus, we will be able to put mass
media in its proper place for the development of ourselves.
The Various Media
Influence In Everyday Life.
"Teenagers become
the victims of Media, really?" The media has a big role in people's lives
as well as teenagers. Media is a tool to convey ideas, about what we feel, we
can share experiences, knowledge and so on. The media also foster mutual understanding, mutual
sharing, mutual compassion among the people. Now a day media technology can present
many forms and make opened easily and more to present an information. Therefore
the media is something that can not be avoided, even though the role of the
media is so dominant and complete but also carry a very significant influence.
Like two sides of
different changes, the mass media have positive and negative effects, which can
be benefit the society and at the same time can also loose the objects of the
media itself, both in behavior, moral and intellectual. Media can change the attitude
of the people, control the feelings and behavior of the society through the offered
image. For teenagers, who are still in the process of growing can experience
the affect the mental, behavioral and intellectual. Well when watching TV,
reading a magazine or tabloid, and when listening to the radio. It can be seen
from the change in mindset, behavior and mental health. For example, many young
women are willing to spend money to buy beauty products because of the
advertisement on tv and other media in order to appear attractive. Similarly,
young men feel macho if he smoke, as shown in cigarette advertising that gives
the image of a real man, so one might think "if a man smoke.. And many
more examples of behaviors that are victims of the image generated by the mass
media. In this point, the teenagers have high curiosity, want to experience
something new, and want to be like what he saw, because at this time the
teenager does not have a mature self concept.
According to some specialists
who observe the impact of the mass media, said that the role of a parents as
the close people are expected to accompany the youth on how to use the of both
electronic and published media. Then the parents need to have a dialogue
educative and creative with the youth, about the imitations that they consume,
so they can still take the positive values of the media, and the negative
infuences of media can be minimized.
The perspective of the
Church about Media Social Communications
Declaration on Social
Communications, the positive team and negative team.
Both groups read the
following article: "Dare to Take Attitude!" "You have to dare to
take a stand! Make media as a tool not a master! The confirmation chairman of
the Social Commission of the Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI Komsos) Mgr.
Hilarion Lega datus Pr. Said that "Media is not everything else that should
go beyond conscience, healthy mind and concrete needs of the people who are using
the media. This affirmation must be taken by anyone, including young people and
parents who want to educate their children in facing the overflow of media.
"The negative implications of the media can not be avoided. Whether we
like it or not media brings bothe influences
Read and reflect the
Gospel (Mk 2: 23-28).
Both groups answer the
following questions:
·
What do you understand from the
statement: "Make media as a tool not a master! Media is not everything. Media
should go beyond conscience, mind healthy and concrete needs of the people who
are using it. "
·
“Mgr. Hilarion Lega datus Pr. Also
stressed the need to be critical of the media. By the way how that attitude
manifested?
Summary of ideas that
you get in a motto, for example: "No Signal, Life Go On!"
We must have a critical
attitude towards all the information that we receive. The critical attitude
means it can chose what is right and what is wrong; where the good and bad;
which are positive and which are negative. So, we have to be critical of the
positive and negative influences of media that serves a variety of information.
There are reasons of positive
influences of the media because:
1.
Technology media bring people closer to
each other. Our mind and our relationship became more open to others, to other
nations and other cultures, etc.
2.
The media technology can make us
involved in all the occeans. Ex. We are involved in an earthquake in Algeria,
on SARS in China, in the World Cup, etc.
3.
Technology media presents quality and
attractive reporting. The news via satellite and internet networks are more animated.
The negative effect as
a result from media technologies, :
1.
Media has built an empire and a very
strong power. Those who owns the media means they are strong and powerful. They
are overpower to each other. Media creates a new culture, the local native
culture will slowly eliminated.
2.
The media is a business. Through the
media can be built false perception of well-being. Welfare means having the
material as much as possible. Humans are no longer judged by the character and
dedication, but from what they had (house, car, money, etc.)
3.
Through the media can be created
stereotypes or the labels about the figure of beauty, fashion, etc.
4.
Through the media can be created
sensation challenge of sex, violence, and horror may be very loved by the
audience.
5.
The owners, authorities and media
sponsors can perform a variety of business and behaviors for the sake of
business and politics.
6.
Live Schedule and work becomes
irregular. More time is using to watch and hear the media programme.
Interpersonal communication in families is reduced.
7.
Addiction and involvement in violence often
happened because of TV or chatting on the Internet or HP (SMS).
8.
Flow urbanization is often caused by imitations
glamor of city life.
C. Be Critical to the
ideology and Lifestyle now a days.
Basic thought
In today's modern life,
we can not escape the various environmental influences. Moreover, as
experienced by many young people of today, regardless of its form trends from
fashion, music, movies, to the various other lifestyle, until the general life
style influence can not be avoided. Levels of influence depends on our maturity
in making choices. The hope is that we must be critical.
During his life, Jesus
met with various people who hold a variety of ideology. for example, the
Pharisees, Sadducees, and Zealots. In facing the ideology, understanding, Jesus
already had a critical attitude. Jesus remained on His choice (His option)
which is the kingdom of God. Jesus has also been faced with various offers,
such as social guarantee economy, power, and choice, but he decided not to
accept. (cf., Matthew 4: 1-11). Options (option) Jesus remained in His option
about proclaiming the kingdom of God.
In today's modern life,
we can not escape from the various environmental influences, or ideology that
exist today. Lifestyle is the behavior of someone who is shown or display in
their activities, interests, and their opinions with regard to image and social
status.
The Bible teaching of
the Need to Be critical of Lifestyle, Trends and Evolving Ideology
(Luke 4: 1-13) Jesus
was tempted in the wilderness
1.
What proposal that offer by the devil to
Jesus?
2.
What is the attitude of Jesus deal with
the proposal?
3.
What message do you get from the story
The devil tempted Jesus
by offering things (cf., Lk 4: 1-13). First: Bread, sustenance, social security
economics. Second: The status and power. Third: The pleasure and enjoyment.
The temptations that
offer by the devil to Jesus is so that Jesus will no longer proclaim the
Kingdom of God, and so that Jesus will concern with social security, economy,
power, and pleasure. Jesus rejected, because there is something more
fundamental, which is the Kingdom of God! Jesus was critical of ideology and the
movement that happen in His time.
When Jesus lived in
Palestine there have been many groups for example: PHARISEES (from the Hebrew
word Pharesees = 'separate') The group of Pharisees is a group of serious Jews(Yahudi)
who received the written and oral law and carefully obey to all the obligations.
They criticized Jesus because forgives the sinners, breaking the Sabbath rules,
and interact with the sinners. Jesus against their attitude. They work closely
with the Sadducees (their opponents) to kill Jesus. SADDUCEES, Sadducees Group
is one of the Palestinian political groups in the time of Jesus. They have a big
influence in politics. They are closely related to the High Priest, the nobles,
and the conservatives. In religion connection, they rejected the oral
tradition, the resurrection of the dead, and the angels.
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